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@Taxi
This is a bit of a ramble, I try and write concisely, it doesn't always pan out that way.
I started wearing a face cage because I was hit in the face a few times, I started wearing chunky gloves because I was hit in the hands a few times... etc so now I basically put on a suit of armour before I play. But this is my choice because that's what it takes for me to feel confident enough to 'go for it' on the court.
Accidents happen on the court. People lock mallets and yank them back, skillful 'hooking' can quite quickly snowball into a retarded hackfest (especially when hooking the goalie – i.e me), people ride through seemingly impossible gaps with mixed results etc etc. Sometimes people forget where they are and swing for balls in the air or follow through on a reverse shot than they mean to and sometimes peoples faces are on the receiving end. It happens. I'm not saying high sticks are ok, they're not and I've yelled at plenty of people for doing deliberate dick moves. But accidents happen.
Sharp mallets, long axles etc are checked to protect other people on the court. If people want to wear a face cage to protect themselves then I think that's up to the individual, just like any other protective equipment. How long has it taken for people to compulsorily wear helmets at tournaments?